First Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Disc Replacement Surgery

Spine Technology Leader Achieves Another Historic Milestone

April 26, 2007 – AUDUBON, PA, USA Globus Medical, Inc., the largest privately-held spinal implant manufacturer in the world, announced today what it believes to be the first ever implantation of a total disc replacement device utilizing a minimally invasive transforaminal approach. This marks the second such “world’s first” surgery in less than a month by this leader in spine technology. Three patients were recently implanted with the devices by Drs. Luiz Pimenta, Paul McAfee, and Dilip Sengupta in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

“The Globus technology represents a significant advancement in the application of total disc replacement (TDR) technology,” commented Dr. Paul McAfee, MD, Chief of Spinal Surgery at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Towson, Md. “The Globus transforaminal TDR was performed through a three-inch Wiltse incision, minimizing the need for muscle dissection and retraction. The patients were able to stand up on the day of their surgery, and were discharged from the hospital by the following day. Full recovery is expected in three to six weeks.”

“The Globus transforaminal TDR device employs a unique unitary metal-on-metal articulation device that reproduces the physiologic range of motion of a healthy spine,” said Dr. Neel Anand, MD, Director, Orthopedic Spine Surgery, The Institute for Spinal Disorders, Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Ca. “The two components are interlocked in a manner that is similar to a joint with surrounding ligaments, which prevents disarticulation of the bearing surface. It is a low friction arthroplasty similar to the most advantageous peripheral total joint replacement technology.”

“The transforaminal TDR is another example of the innovative technology that Globus Medical will introduce in 2007,” said David Paul, CEO, Globus Medical, Inc. “The product development engine we have built is hitting on all cylinders right now, producing a fantastic array of innovation across fusion, MIS, motion preservation and biomaterials.”